Beltway Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary-Tuesday, Oct. 15

Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences | October 15, 2002 | Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences

[Peach]

To avoid multiple vanity threads regarding any news from press conferences, let's keep a live commentary thread going again today.

Note: This is the graphics-free thread. Graphics can be found under the thread titled "Beltway Sniper Shootings-Graphics Only"

[lentulusgracchus]

....the Marine Corp Marathon.

Oh, man, what a target! Hundreds of red shirts, all unarmed......and think of the propaganda value, if they shut down the race.

[hobbes1]

Hundreds of red shirts,

You would think after the American Revolution....

[packrat01]

witness saw an olive skinned man(men?)

green, or black?

[angkor]

I also live near this Home Depot, and have shopped there many times in the past.

Apparently several witnesses saw the truck, and perhaps even the shooter. If that's so, he/they must have been on eastbound Rt. 50 itself or on the access road directly adjacent to the HD parking lot (being inside the lot would be a difficult exit at best, it's kind of tricky getting in and out).

It's unlikely they would have been on Rt. 50, as you say it's very crowded at the Patrick Henry Drive intersection, cars are moving at 40 to 60 MPH, and there's really no place to stop.

So they were probably in the eastbound access road, which means they would have driven another 100 yards to the end, and then forced to turn right onto Patrick Henry (not only is a left turn illegal, it also would be a difficult and extremely bizarre maneuver at that intersection).

So let's say they turned right onto Patrick Henry Drive. From there its another 200 yards to the intersection with Rt. 7 (it seems unlikely that they would have hidden in one of the nearby apartment complex parking lots, but who knows). In any case, a right turn brings them almost directly back to the scene of the crime (actually to the other side of the shopping center - the upper level - where the infamous Michael's is located). A left turn puts them on Rt. 7 east toward Bailey's Crossroads.

By all news reports, the shooting occurred at 9:15 and the police roadblocks started going up at 9:30. The route I've described above would have put them on Rt. 7 eastbound within 5 minutes tops, and that includes waiting out the normal red light at Rt. 7 and Patrick Henry.

They're not using the interstates anymore, they've seen the roadblocks (and these guys have proven themselves to be adaptable). So weren't headed for I-395, they only interstate in that direction. They know that they have a few minutes of an escape window. They know that they had only local roads.

They are obviously heading someplace knowing that (a) all the interstates will be blocked and (b) they have just a few minutes to get off the streets. They are on Rt. 7 east.

I hate to say it, but they would then be only 5 to 10 minutes from one of the largest Muslim enclaves in all of DC Metro. In fact they will pass one of the area's largest mosques only one minute after leaving the Patrick Henry/Rt. 7 intersection.

Of course this could be entirely wrong, the shooter was maybe on the westbound Rt. 50 access road (in the dark parking lot behind the school), but then (a) there would be no witnesses, it's simply too dark on the other side or Rt. 50, (b) its at least 10 minutes drive to the Beltway, if you're lucky (c) there are lots of traffic lights and busy intersections on the way there and (d) the shooters must have known the roadblocks were going up.

Whether they were forced or had chosen to get on Rt. 7 eastbound isn't that important. They knew they had only 5 to 10 minutes to get off the streets. They're headed toward Bailey's Crossroads. The can't get on major highways.

What was their final destination?

[harpseal]

Well I think a brief summary is in order because a whole lot happened yesterday. First, this shooting in Falls Church pretty much rules out the former Marine who was being wuestioned yesterday. We may presume that he was under enough scrutiny that he could not have done the Falls Church shooting. Second, we know the former marine is recovering from wounds so that he is less likely able to make the shoot.

Second, those who are betting on the Islamic-terrorist solution to the puzzle got a real boost from the evidence yesterday. Finding an abadoned Isuzu box truck that matches the descriptions is just too much of a coincidence to ignore. This truck has a very high probability of being associated with the shootings. Now getting and discarding such a truck tends to make the insane shooter theory less plausible.

Still we have nothing definitive,

Stay well - stay safe - Stay armed - yorktown

[dinasour]

This is getting beyond the Klebold-and-Harris thing, does anyone agree?

Absolutely. This doesn't have to be Abdul and Mohammed either in order for this to be ME terrorism.

My read. Hired mercenaries. That's why they are so hard to profile. The shooters themselve don't really have an agenda.

[ET(end tyranny)]

What was their final destination?

Maybe when they leave one scene, they drive right to the next planned scene?

[glory]

Gosh, xs, I'm thinking of you too. Be safe.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Finding an abandoned truck doesn't boost any one theory.

[ET(end tyranny)]

My read. Hired mercenaries. That's why they are so hard to profile. The shooters themselve don't really have an agenda.

Or at least someone that shares the same hatred. Enough so that they side with the ME, even if temporarily. The enemy of my enemy is my friend (at lease for now)?

[livius]

Did you happen to hear anything about another car (dark sedan) supposedly accompanying the truck? According to another thread, it was reported to have a " religious bumper sticker," but I haven't seen any more reports on this.

Maybe it's just a rumor, in any case.

[hobbes1]

Close. See 56.

[ET(end tyranny)]

I did hear that a dark vehicle had circled the lot a couple of times. But, heard it only once, and not sure who said it.

[xsmommy]

well i know exactly the route you are talking about, and yes route 7 east is where the mosque is located. i suppose i would not be surprised to learn that it was an islamic extremist, but i don't know that it is more than 50-50 odds based on what we know thus far.

[xsmommy]

highways yes, but lights every step of the way!

[aristeides]

Does that mosque have places where you can hide a vehicle?

[js1138]

Anyone with half a brain, knows that this a CIA Black Bag Job, to keep the economy off the front page till election time. Ask Maxine Waters.

It is going to cause some people to question why there is no homeland security bill, and whether we want 9 to 5 unionized employees in it. So when does the heavy politics begin?

[Quilla]

Thank you both for sharing the details of the area and your speculations. I can't imagine the horror of living this close to such evil randomness. Please stay safe and know that many, many freepers are praying for you.

[ET(end tyranny)]

I should have linked this earlier. Graphics thread Oct. 15th

[xsmommy]

thanks, quilla. i have to say if he was looking for the quickest getaway, shooting from the other side of 50, from that parking lot, would provide the quickest route out. But my coworker said that the eyewitness had said they saw the shooter exit and take the shot at the ENTRANCE Of home depot? can anyone verify that? if so, that puts him not far from the victim at all, since from what i understand, she was towards the top part of the parking lot, closer to the store, and further from the highway.